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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #567)
Drug War Issues

A former Border Patrol agent cops a plea, another jail guard gets busted, a mystery is solved in Alabama, and one remains in Minnesota. Let's get to it:

In Laredo, Texas, a former Border Patrol officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to accepting bribes to escort a load of drugs through Zapata County. Leonel Morales, 30, admitted in federal court that he took $9,000 ensure that 20 kilograms of cocaine made it safely through the county. The guilty plea came in the face of prosecutors prepared to introduce audio and video recordings of Morales planning, negotiating, and coordinating the drugs' movements. Morales faces up to 15 years in prison and remains in custody while awaiting a March 18 sentencing hearing.

In Decatur, Alabama, a Decatur police sergeant faces theft and additional charges after disappearing last Friday, only to show up in Las Vegas, where he was arrested. Police Sgt. Faron White allegedly stole $70,000 in drug money from the department's narcotics office, then attempted to cover up his crime by trashing his office to make it appear he had been assaulted and kidnapped. His family reported him missing Saturday, and local police spent several days searching the Tennessee River and surrounding areas looking for him. Also arrested as an accomplice was Sarah Richardson, who picked White up at the police station Friday night and drove him to Nashville to catch a flight to Las Vegas. According to a police affidavit, Richardson was aware White had stolen the cash stash and helped him so he could "avoid apprehension."

In Kissimmee, Florida, an Osceola County jail guard was arrested last Friday on charges he smuggled drugs into the jail. Guard Eric Sosa, 30, become prisoner Eric Sosa after he left the jail during a break to buy marijuana from an undercover officer. He is charged with drug possession with the intent to sell, as well of introduction of contraband into a county facility and other charges.

In Lewiston, Minnesota, the acting mayor has reported that money, drugs, and documents are missing from the Lewiston Police Department's evidence locker and close to $50,000 in city funds are unaccounted for. Police discovered that drugs seized as evidence and "a couple of thousand bucks" were missing from the evidence locker when they took an inventory nearly a year ago upon the hiring of an interim police chief. The evidence locker, which can be opened only with a key, was in the police chief's office. The Winona County District Attorney's Office is investigating. The acting mayor also told the city council that $50,000 given to the city by the fire department is unaccounted for, as are many official documents, including minutes of council meetings from 2005.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Anonymous (not verified)

I think we should have tighter controls on police evidence lockers. Who knows how many of these are "borrowed from" and then replaced with drug money they received under the table.

How many of these go unreported ?

Tue, 01/13/2009 - 5:21pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

The Police below are corrupt and liars

Officer Bacigalupi #30878
Officer Sery #36878
all officers that worked or partnered with Bacigalupi #30878
Officer John Hughes #45063
So many more

ALL MULTNOMAH JUDGES ARE CORRUPT ALSO

Tue, 02/10/2009 - 2:50am Permalink

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